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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rash — a series
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fall — the season
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rash — hasty
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fall — to drop
  24. patient — calm and waiting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com